To be admitted into the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program I am required to write an essay and answer a few questions about myself. To start off, my name is __________ and I am a soldier. Every day in the Army I do two things- train soldiers and take care of soldiers. The first question wants to know how I will achieve my goals with this degree. In my case almost everything in my life revolves around the mission and my soldiers. So this degree program is no different, it is all linked together. It is really quite simple when you realize that I try to live my life by a certain dogma called "The Creed of the Non-Commissioned Officer". Let me share with you a couple of key components of the creed that will help illustrate my point. These areas deal with being competent, and remaining technically and tactically proficient.
English: Gen. Douglas MacArthur wades ashore durin...
English: General of the Army Douglas MacArthur smo...
English: General Douglas MacArthur signs as Suprem...The creed makes it very clear that all soldiers are entitled to outstanding leadership. When I first entered the US Army in 1981, the cold war was alive and well. I grew up in that world and spent years training to the doctrine of that era. Now we find ourselves in a different world, and the US military is taking on a new role. The US Army leadership is making fundamental changes so that the US will dominate on the battlefield of the 21st century. These changes will ensure that the future of the US is protected. General Douglas MacArthur , one of my favorite military commanders from the past, once said, "Yours is a profession of arms, the will to win, the sure knowledge that in war there is no substitute for victory. That if you lose, the nation will be destroyed". In order for the...